By now we all know cleanse, tone, moisturize should be a part of our daily makeup routine. Good makeup always starts with healthy skin. Choosing the right moisturizer, with such a variety of products available to us these days, can prove confusing. There are few factors to consider and, believe it or not, price is not one of them. Quality moisturizers don’t have to be expensive – what matters is what’s in them.

How and when to moisturize?

Firstly, I will quickly skim through the rules of proper moisturizer application. After you remove your makeup, cleanse and tone your face, you apply moisturizer. It’s important not to overdo it as the skin can react to excessive use of product; applying in the morning and before bedtime is enough. A moisturizer is applied gently to a damp face. Don’t forget to apply it over the neck as the exposed skin gets very dry during the day. Avoid the area under your eyes; the skin here is extremely thin and sensitive, I recommend using an eye cream which is designed especially for that area.

How moisturizers work is simple: they provide skin with hydration by either blocking water from escaping from the surface of the skin, or drawing it from the inner lawyers toward the top lawyers of the skin. They also replace the moisture that is lost with cleansing.

Read the label

When purchasing a moisturizer there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure that the package says “non-comedogenic” as this won’t clog your pores. Also, make sure it has SPF protection since the most damage to the skin is caused by direct sunlight (SPF 30 is ideal). Lastly, read the label: the right ingredients are crucial when choosing the right moisturizer. Look for the common active ingredients. The words you are looking for are lanorin, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, retinoid. For anti-aging properties keep an eye out for vitamin E as well.

Keep your skin type in mind

So let’s talk about skin types. The most difficult skin to please is sensitive skin. Look for the moisturizers labeled “hypo-allergenic”. Avoid using perfumed products, especially if you have sensitive skin, because they tend to irritate the skin. A dry skin, on the other hand, might need a very hydrating moisturizer. Look for oil based products with glycerin butter and mineral oil. Oilier skin is the opposite: choose oil-free gel-based formulas. For normal or combinational skin I recommend non-greasy water-based products with silicone-derived ingredients.

Your moisturizer might change with the seasons

The type of moisturizer you use might vary with the change of seasons. During summer, when the air is warm and more humid, you might want to keep to a lighter moisturizer. Rich moisturizers might trigger skin problems and acne. On the other hand, during winter when the air turns dry and cold, it’s very likely the same formula won’t provide your skin with enough hydration. During winter, our skin requires more protection from the chilly weather. Keep the skin hydrated with a richer moisturizer to prevent the face from drying out. (Would you like to see other latest contents? YES – go to Home page, otherwise, Thank you for reading)